And don’t forget to compliment the veteran in goal ( Naeher ). She did a fine job and stayed “ ready” right up to, and including, that hard shot in the last second of stoppage time.
Completely agree, Grant. Alex Morgan was on a *mission* last night. It was a deserved victory, even if they almost failed to see out the game.
There’s still a lot of work to do, but they have a year to get ready. And they avoided playoff qualifications for the Olympics. Pugh and Smith have proven they should start, and this tourney should boost their confidence.
The returnees will make the team stronger, especially with the experience Huerta, Girma, Cook, Fox, Sanchez, Murphy, and the aforementioned Pugh and Smith got. Tough fight for places in the 23 for ‘23.
Yeah, maybe I am a homer, but from here the future’s so bright I gotta wear shades.
Canada’s Nichelle Prince gave the US headaches on the left side throughout the first half but she wasn’t nearly as much of a factor in the 2nd half and was subbed out I believe in the 68th minute. How did the US short circuit this threat?
I bet there were 5 instances in USA x CAN where teams rued the absence of a weak-side sender-backer IN OTHER WORDS where a team had successfully advanced the ball down one flank* but then squandered the chance as the ball went past everybody to the other flank.
What is the risk/reward ratio to positioning a player weak-side? In this day and age of stats like expected goals and all?
Too many goal vultures, too few thinking of the 11-celled organism.
*5 instances minimum counting both teams and free kicks and corner kicks. A player scurrying out to the far sideline to make something of the squandered chance has all the WRONG momentum.
Grant, thanks so much for these updates. My wife and I are traveling in Europe and it has been hard to keep up, let alone watch the games. Your updates have been important to us!
And don’t forget to compliment the veteran in goal ( Naeher ). She did a fine job and stayed “ ready” right up to, and including, that hard shot in the last second of stoppage time.
Completely agree, Grant. Alex Morgan was on a *mission* last night. It was a deserved victory, even if they almost failed to see out the game.
There’s still a lot of work to do, but they have a year to get ready. And they avoided playoff qualifications for the Olympics. Pugh and Smith have proven they should start, and this tourney should boost their confidence.
The returnees will make the team stronger, especially with the experience Huerta, Girma, Cook, Fox, Sanchez, Murphy, and the aforementioned Pugh and Smith got. Tough fight for places in the 23 for ‘23.
Yeah, maybe I am a homer, but from here the future’s so bright I gotta wear shades.
Canada’s Nichelle Prince gave the US headaches on the left side throughout the first half but she wasn’t nearly as much of a factor in the 2nd half and was subbed out I believe in the 68th minute. How did the US short circuit this threat?
I bet there were 5 instances in USA x CAN where teams rued the absence of a weak-side sender-backer IN OTHER WORDS where a team had successfully advanced the ball down one flank* but then squandered the chance as the ball went past everybody to the other flank.
What is the risk/reward ratio to positioning a player weak-side? In this day and age of stats like expected goals and all?
Too many goal vultures, too few thinking of the 11-celled organism.
*5 instances minimum counting both teams and free kicks and corner kicks. A player scurrying out to the far sideline to make something of the squandered chance has all the WRONG momentum.
Grant, thanks so much for these updates. My wife and I are traveling in Europe and it has been hard to keep up, let alone watch the games. Your updates have been important to us!